Join us for a screening of MAKERS: Women in Comedy, which tracks the rise of women in the world of comedy, from the "dangerous" comedy of 70s sitcoms like Maude to the groundbreaking women of the 1980s American comedy club boom and building to today's multifaceted landscape. Today, movies like Bridesmaids break box office records and the women of Saturday Night Live are often more famous than their male counterparts. Contemporary comics, including Chelsea Handler, Mo'Nique, Sarah Silverman, Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Lynch, and Kathy Griffin talk about where women started in this competitive, male-dominated profession and where they are determined to go.
After the screening, Dr. Alison Wielgus will facilitate a discussion on this film. Dr. Alison Wielgus' research focuses on cinema's role within the larger world of media. In particular, she focuses on the historiography of experimental films that draw on sound and performance art, and on the role of medium specificity within our contemporary convergence culture. Her teaching often addresses intersections between media, politics, and gender and sexuality.
Dr. Wielgus has published work in the Millennium Film Journal. She holds a Ph.D. in Film Studies from the University of Iowa and a B.A. in Cinema Studies from New York University.
